evolved much in the past 230 million years. Horseshoe crabs have a tough exoskeleton that is difficult for predators to get through. They also can go for a year without food so they spend a lot of their life hiding. They also have the ability to endure the most extreme conditions in their environments. Horseshoe crabs are a steadfast and vital component of the Atlantic coast ecosystem. Their highest concentrated nesting ground is along the Delaware Bay, which is a popular rest stop for many migratory birds as they make their way south and north. But, horseshoe crabs have a ritual of coming up to mate during the full and new moons in May and June. It’s quite the phenomenon and
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. - Charles Darwin
well worth it if you’re inspired to be a volunteer and count the horseshoe crabs for a local census. For ten months out of the year horseshoe crabs live in the depths of the ocean floor and currents often tousle the creature over. Horseshoe crabs grow on average a quarter the size each time they shed. Females grow to be approximately two feet across and males a bit smaller. Many molts often wash up to the shore and get tangled in the wrack line. If you’re investigating 20